Connector

Abstract

A connector includes a detector ( 60 ) movable to a standby position and a detection position with respect to a housing ( 10 ). The detector ( 60 ) is kept at the standby position in the process of connecting two housings ( 10, 90 ) and is biased by biasing members ( 80 ) and brought to the detection position when the two housings ( 10, 90 ) are properly connected. The detector ( 60 ) includes a resilient arm ( 65 ) configured to slide on a sliding surface ( 32 ) of the housing ( 10 ) while being resiliently deformed in the process of reaching the detection position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A connector, comprising:
 a housing with a front end that is connectable to a mating housing and a rear end opposite the front end; 
 a detector assembled to the housing and being movable between a forward standby position and a rearward detection position with respect to the housing and being configured to be kept at the standby position until the two housings are connected properly and the detector being released from the standby position and movable to the detection position as the two housings are connected properly; and 
 a biasing member assembled with the housing and configured to accumulate a biasing force in the process of connecting the two housings and to bias and move the detector rearward to the detection position by releasing the biasing force when the two housings are connected properly; 
 the detector including a resilient arm that is spaced from the housing when the detector is at the standby position and during an initial part of the movement of the detector toward the detection position, the resilient arm being disposed and configured to slide on a sliding surface of the housing while being resiliently deformed in the process of reaching the detection position for regulating a moving speed of the detector in response to the biasing force of the biasing member. 
 
     
     
       2. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding surface of the housing is provided at a position where the resilient arm is slidable thereon before the detector reaches the detection position. 
     
     
       3. A connector comprising:
 a housing connectable to a mating housing; 
 a detector to be assembled movably to a standby position and a detection position with respect to the housing and configured to be kept at the standby position until the two housings are connected properly and to be movable to the detection position as the two housings are connected properly, the detector including a resilient arm configured to slide on a sliding surface of the housing while being resiliently deformed in a process of reaching the detection position, the sliding surface being disposed so that the resilient arm is slidable thereon before the detector reaches the detection position; and 
 a biasing member assembled with the housing and configured to accumulate a biasing force in the process of connecting the two housings and to bias and move the detector to the detection position by releasing the biasing force when the two housings are connected properly; 
 wherein the resilient arm regulates a movement of the detector to the standby position by being displaced in a return direction at the detection position and being inserted and locked into a recess of the housing. 
 
     
     
       4. The connector of  claim 3 , wherein the resilient arm has an operating surface and the operating surface is pressed at the detection position to resiliently deform the resilient arm in a direction to be released from locking with the recess, so that the movement of the detector to the standby position is enabled. 
     
     
       5. The connector of  claim 4 , wherein the operating surface is smoothly continuous without any step in a moving direction toward the standby position. 
     
     
       6. The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed with a resiliently deflectable lock arm that is engageable with a lock of the mating housing when the housing and the mating housing are connected properly. 
     
     
       7. The connector of  claim 6 , wherein the detector further includes a resiliently deflectable locking arm that is releasably engaged with the lock arm of the housing before the housing and the mating housing are connected properly and the locking arm of the detector being released from the lock arm of the housing when the housing and the mating housing are connected properly. 
     
     
       8. The connector of  claim 7 , wherein the lock arm of the detector is spaced from the resilient arm thereof. 
     
     
       9. A connector, comprising:
 a housing connectable to a mating housing, the housing having a resiliently deflectable lock arm that is engageable with a lock of the mating housing when the housing and the mating housing are connected properly; 
 a detector assembled to the housing and being movable between a standby position and a detection position with respect to the housing, the detector including a resiliently deflectable locking arm that is releasably engaged with the lock arm of the housing before the housing and the mating housing are connected properly and the locking arm of the detector being released from the lock arm of the housing when the housing and the mating housing are connected properly so that the detector is movable to the detection position; and 
 a biasing member assembled with the housing and configured to accumulate a biasing force in the process of connecting the two housings and to bias and move the detector to the detection position when the locking arm of the detector is released from the lock arm of the housing, wherein 
 the detector further includes a resilient arm spaced from the locking arm and configured to slide on a sliding surface of the housing while being resiliently deformed as the detector is reaching the detection position so that the resilient arm regulates a moving speed of the detector in response to the biasing force of the biasing member. 
 
     
     
       10. The connector of  claim 9 , wherein the housing has a front end that is connectable to the mating housing and a rear end opposite the front end, the detector being closer to the front end of the housing at the standby position and being closer to the rear and of the housing at the detection position.